Point of No Return (17 page)

“You're just going to have to trust her, Chet,” Mae said softly.

“She's a kid.”

“She's an adult. And she's made her own decision.” She leaned close, her lips brushing against his ear. “She did it for you, Chet. Let her.”

Chet closed his eyes.
Let her.

That was the hardest part, wasn't it? Living with the decisions of others.

Or even your own.

Mae's hand found his again, and squeezed.

Chet opened his eyes and met Miller's. “I want updates. And an immediate phone call if anything—and I'm talking so much as a hangnail—happens to her. I hate this. You should know that.”

The agent seemed to sense there might be more behind Chet's tone, because he gave him a tight nod.

The door swished softly behind him as he left. Mae put her chin on their clasped hands. “You going to be okay?”

He looked away, toward the curtained windows. “No. But what choice do I have?”

Mae ran her thumb over his hand. “She's smart. And brave. Just like her father.”

“No, she's a thousand times better than her father.”

Mae smiled. “Yeah, maybe. But she got it all from you.”

No, she'd gotten at least half of it from Carissa. “I don't know how I'm supposed to stay sane with women like her, and you, in my life.”

He managed a slight smile. She didn't match it.

“What?”

“I'm just glad you're alive.” Moisture formed along her lower lid. He reached out to catch a tear as it spilled over. “I understand now.”

He ran a finger down her cheek. “Understand what?”

“Doomed. I understand
doomed.
”

“I was wrong, Mae. I'm not doomed. I'm…rescued. When I'm with you, I'm rescued from everything else. In fact, I'm flying. So I guess I can afford a little panic once in a while.”

“Chet, I don't have to fly for you. I understand…I understand your fear. I mean, I thought I was going to lose it when I saw them carry you out of the prison. I never, ever want to go through that again. So, really, I understand if you don't want me to fly for your—”

“Stop. Of course you have to fly for me. You're the best pilot on two continents. Sure, you take risks—probably
too many—but that's what I need. Someone who isn't afraid to do what it takes to get the job done. You're the perfect pilot for Stryker International.”

“Really?”

“Well, actually, no.”

She stared at him, a look of confusion on her face. So he smiled.

“You're the perfect woman. For me. I love you, Mae. I should have never let you walk out of my life. But I know, too, that I need to let you make your own decisions. Because I do respect you. And I trust you. Most of all, I'm tired of walking around in this no-man's-land of needing you, not having you, being scared of letting you too close, being afraid you'll go too far. But it's time to find our place. The place we
both
belong.”

She looked so beautiful, a smile playing on her face, her red hair tumbling around her shoulders. He wrapped his hand around her neck and pulled her close.

“Chet, you're hurt.”

“Not that hurt.”

Then he kissed her, and she was so gentle, so sweet as she touched her lips to his, and he wanted more.

“Marry me, Mae. In Prague or Seattle. Wherever. Because when I'm with you, I'm home.”

She pulled back, her eyes on his. A smile creased her face, one that could probably heal him on the spot. “Not Seattle. Please, not Seattle.”

“Is that a yes?” he asked.

She nodded. “I knew you needed me.”

“I suppose this is where I admit that you're right.” He pulled her close, her lips a breath from his. “I can't live without you.”

She skimmed her lips against his, then leaned in to his ear. “It's about time, Chet Stryker. It's about time.”

He leaned back into his pillow. “If I close my eyes…you'll still be here when I open them again, right?”

She smoothed his hair back from his face, kissed his forehead. “I'm not going anywhere, tough guy. Ever.”

Dear Reader,

When my son went to China as a missionary the summer of 2008, he called me from LAX, around midnight. “See you in two months!”

The words echoed in through my heart. What if something happened to him in China? His mother would most definitely go to the rescue (with a guy like Chet!). Right then, a story emerged.

I love Chet because he struggles with his mistakes. Just like Jacob, who wrestled with God on his return to the place of his sins (
Genesis
32). Chet wants to be forgiven, but doesn't know how to hold on to grace. When God returns him to the land of failure, He sets Chet free, just as He did Jacob.

God longs to help us hold on to grace and set us free, too. It's a matter of wrestling with our faith—and yes, sometimes we are wounded—but believing in God's blessing.

Susan May Warren

1. At the beginning of the story, Mae longs to fly for Stryker International. Unfortunately, her dreams are dashed. Have you ever longed for something that didn't work out? What was it, and how did it make you feel? Could you relate to Mae?
   
2. Chet has a literal wound—from being shot in a previous book,
   Wiser than Serpents
   —but he also has an emotional wound. What is it? How does that affect his relationship with Mae? Do you have any wounds from the past that affect your current relationships?
   
3. What compels Mae to go to the Republic of Georgia? Have you ever traveled overseas? Where have you gone, and have you ever been afraid while you were there? Why?
   
4. Chet returns to a land where there is a “price on his head.” Why? Have you ever returned or gone someplace where you were considered the enemy? How did that make you feel?
   
5. How does Mae feel about Chet coming to Georgia to assist her? Have you ever been forced to work with someone who hurt you or whom you disliked? How did you handle it?
   
6. Mae and Chet travel through a war-torn area—one that is on the edge of violence. Have you ever been
   in a place that has recently experienced a violent event? How did that make you feel?
   
7. After Mae and Chet jump off the train, Mae breaks down, frustrated that although she seems to do everything “right,” God doesn't seem to be on her side. Do you ever feel this way?
   
8. Josh and Darya have run away “because of love.” Have you ever done something “stupid” in the name of “true love”?
   
9. Chet makes a decision to surrender to the rebels. Then, Darya makes a courageous act to save her father and his friends. Do you think you could have done what Darya or Chet did? Have you ever made a sacrificial act for the good of a larger group?
   
10. What realization does Chet have that allows him to commit to a relationship with Mae? Do you agree with his thinking?
    
11. Chet tells Mae numerous times (and then himself) to hang on to grace. What do you think that means? How have you held on to grace in your life? Give examples.